


Keeping Secrets

by battle_goats



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 17:07:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17227958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: Natsume's friends have a surprise planned for his first Christmas with them.





	Keeping Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> My gift piece for the Natsume-ss on tumblr.

 Natsume had never celebrated Christmas before.  Had never been allowed to. While he had never actually said as much, it was obvious to his friends.  The way he never joined in when discussing gifts or Christmas cake, or anything. One afternoon, when Tanuma knew Natsume wasn't at home, he trekked to the Fujiwara's and asked Natsume's foster mother if Natsume's friends could come over for Christmas that year.

She looked surprised by the request, but only smiled that gentle smile she reserved just for Natsume and said yes.

“I'll make sure we have enough chicken to feed so many hungry teenagers,” she said.

“Taki-san and Sasada-san are bringing a cake.  And we each got him something small,” Tanuma said. “And, um, it's kind of a surprise, so don't say anything.”

“Of course!” Fujiwara-san said.  She pressed a finger to her lips and smiled. “I'm sure Takashi-kun will love it.”

Tanuma couldn't help but smile back and took his leave.  He didn't want to accidentally run into Natsume and have to explain what he was doing in this part of town.  He couldn't help but be glad that Natsune had some wonderful foster parents.

 

Takashi knew something was being schemed, and it somehow involved him, but everyone was being incredibly tight lipped about it.  Even Nishimura.

So when he parted ways with his friends after school on Christmas day, he didn't think much of it.  Nyanko-sensei sat on his shoulder, his soft fur kept his neck warmer than the softest scarf. They stopped at a grocery on the way home to pick up a few things Touko-San asked for.  She had seemed oddly excited when he had left for school that morning, but he couldn't be sure why.

“Natsume! Nanatsujiya!” Nyanko-sensei cried as they passed the sweet shop.

“Not today Sensei, they're closed,” Takashi pointed out. Nyanko-sensei harrumphed and they kept walking.  They approached the house and Takashi felt a sense of foreboding. Everything seemed too still.

He approached the door and checked the small seal he'd placed on the door posts.  Too many things had followed him in through the front door and he was sick of it. The seals were intact, but something still felt off. Takashi slid the door open and stepped inside.  The extra shoes sitting in a row along the edge of the genkan were a dead giveaway.

“Touko-san?  You didn't mention we were having guests,” he called out.  Takashi stepped into the hallway and made for the kitchen. Touko-san stood at the stove, cooking away.  The table was spread with snack foods, along with two buckets of fried chicken and what looked like a cake box. 

“Welcome home, Takashi-kun! Thank you for picking these up for me.  Everything will be ready soon, so pour yourself something to drink and entertain our guests, okay?”

Takashi had never seen Touko-san quite so excited.  He smiled and followed through with her suggestion. When Takashi opened the living room door, he was bit expecting to see all of his friends standing their, chatting and snacking.

They all turned to look at who had just entered and smiled.

“Merry Christmas!” they all cheered.  Takashi smiled and let Tanuma pull him inside.

“Is this what you've all been planning?” he asked.

“Yeah!  It was so hard not to say anything though,” Nishimura said.

“You were the only one having a hard time wit that, Nishimura-kun,” Sasada-san said.  She crossed her arms over her chest and laughed. “We're lucky we managed to keep you quiet.”

Takashi had never felt overwhelmed like this before.  His chest was tight, but warm, and he was sure he was blushing. 

“We got you presents, Natsume-kun,” Taki-san announced.  A small pile sat on the coffee table, some wrapped better than others, but he could tell they were wrapped with love.

“I-I didn't get you guys anything, though.” Even to his own ears, his protest sounded weak.

“That's okay, we weren't expecting you to,” Tanuma said.  He herded Takashi over to the sofa and everyone sat down. Touko-san came, bearing trays of snacks and delicious fried chicken for them all.

Shigeru-san arrived home from work in time to watch Takashi open his gifts and for Touko-san to serve the Christmas cake.  The cake was delicious and the gifts were small but practical.

Takashi had never had any particularly negative feelings about Christmas, but he had never felt anything positive for it either. But this one single Christmas changed his mind.

And he vowed that if he was still in Hitoyoshi come next Christmas, he would get them all gifts.  After all, it was what a loving friend did.


End file.
